Ruarc managed to catch the lines of rage on Percival's face, and they softened once the Alchemist noticed the Druid. The entire time Percival had argued with this woman he could feel nothing but fear and doubt, and now with Ruarc in the picture it morphed into an awful mix of shame and sorrow. There was a little bit of a glow forming at his shoulder veining to his chest, as a sense of loathing seated deeply in the man. The emotions were so ugly they felt like a heart attack, and he had to grip his fist tightly over his chest not to come out cursing the fae.
"This..." seethed Percival, being struck and beaten so thoroughly he felt like a wimpering mutt, "...Caoranach and I were having a discussion."
The word was uttered through his teeth.
He could sense a fire in his chest. The man needed to quench it, but it burned too hotly and too brightly, fueled by a pride that wouldn't let the matter just sit. "She and I have a disagreement on a few empirical truths. It seems she's just a bit too old to really notice the strides the arts of science and alchemy have made while she's been resting on her laurels. The ways they've far outstripped petty superstitions that used to limit humanity's mind to a brighter future."
Percy cast a hand up at Caoranach, his mind steaming like a freight train, "Petty superstitions like her, fae creatures of the primal world that used to prey on people, and she's sitting here and mocking the institutions that humanity has created to outgrow them!"
[Safeholme Grounds] You Were My Brother
Re: [Safeholme Grounds] You Were My Brother
Caoranach scoffed. The coward was retreating back to the earlier discussion. What's more, he sought to defend his hill by appealing to a druid about the dominion of science over nature. He practically invited the enemy into his camp. Raising a hand to sweep some of her hair off of her shoulder, she crossed her arms and stood confidently, back still to the Welshman as a taunt to show how little she was intimidated.
"Yes, we were, among other things, Percival was telling me all about how some petty potion somehow elevated him above the natural order of things," Caoranach chimed in, her voice ringing with amusement.
"Well, Ah mean," the Irishman started, sounding a little hesitant to weigh in. "She has a point."
Caoranach smiled openly as her back was to the men while Ruarc voiced his thoughts. "For one, alchemy relies on nature, lessin' Ah'm mistaken. For two, Ah've found that trying to distance yurself from nature bites ya in the ass before too long. Take a big city for example, especially an industrialized one. Places used to have smog warnings telling people to not go outside because the air itself was dangerous to breath. They've been improving due to advancements made to mitigate smog, but you could say that it is because that science is trying to bring us closer to nature, not outgrow it. And, all things considered, Ah'd probly have ta say Ah'm on Carrie's side; being a druid n'all."
"Yes, we were, among other things, Percival was telling me all about how some petty potion somehow elevated him above the natural order of things," Caoranach chimed in, her voice ringing with amusement.
"Well, Ah mean," the Irishman started, sounding a little hesitant to weigh in. "She has a point."
Caoranach smiled openly as her back was to the men while Ruarc voiced his thoughts. "For one, alchemy relies on nature, lessin' Ah'm mistaken. For two, Ah've found that trying to distance yurself from nature bites ya in the ass before too long. Take a big city for example, especially an industrialized one. Places used to have smog warnings telling people to not go outside because the air itself was dangerous to breath. They've been improving due to advancements made to mitigate smog, but you could say that it is because that science is trying to bring us closer to nature, not outgrow it. And, all things considered, Ah'd probly have ta say Ah'm on Carrie's side; being a druid n'all."
Re: [Safeholme Grounds] You Were My Brother
What am I doing?
"That is where my argument came from!" said Percival with some measure of relief, almost laughing, "We started this whole conversation on the basis that Alchemy takes from Nature, and returns it twofold. It is an improvement. An upgrade."
Something about Ruarc accepting Caoranach's words that hurt him, the Alchemist had to remind himself that he was still out of the loop. There was so much he still had to catch up, so much he didn't understand.
Because he wasn't there.
Normally, that realization would have calmed his mind under some measure of shame, but instead it picked at the wound that Caoranach had clawed open.
"We are talking about a truth of man overcoming nature," carried on the Welshman, trying to appeal to something; he wasn't even sure anymore, "we are talking about Alchemy improving nature. Yet, I speak to her about it, and she calls my art fleeting, an art of denial. Not even realizing how her lofty perception has separated her from the reality of the situation. She belittles a practice -- not even that -- a will of humanity that has turned creatures like her into a thing of the past!"
"That is where my argument came from!" said Percival with some measure of relief, almost laughing, "We started this whole conversation on the basis that Alchemy takes from Nature, and returns it twofold. It is an improvement. An upgrade."
Something about Ruarc accepting Caoranach's words that hurt him, the Alchemist had to remind himself that he was still out of the loop. There was so much he still had to catch up, so much he didn't understand.
Because he wasn't there.
Normally, that realization would have calmed his mind under some measure of shame, but instead it picked at the wound that Caoranach had clawed open.
"We are talking about a truth of man overcoming nature," carried on the Welshman, trying to appeal to something; he wasn't even sure anymore, "we are talking about Alchemy improving nature. Yet, I speak to her about it, and she calls my art fleeting, an art of denial. Not even realizing how her lofty perception has separated her from the reality of the situation. She belittles a practice -- not even that -- a will of humanity that has turned creatures like her into a thing of the past!"
Re: [Safeholme Grounds] You Were My Brother
"So, am I a thing of the past, Perce?" Ruarc asked, his voice dropping as he seemed to realize this wasn't likely a cordial discussion. Crossing his arms, the druid rested back on a braced leg. He seemed to be settling in to stand his ground. He wasn't sure how this all started, wasn't sure about the context, but Percy wasn't exactly being fair either.
"Nature isn't something you outgrow, Percy. No more than you can outgrow walking on the ground, or outgrow breathing air. To suggest such things is what sounds like a lofty perception to me. And so in retaliation of her belittling a practice, you belittle her very existence; and belittling my own practice by extension. That's a little cruel, don't you think?"
"Nature isn't something you outgrow, Percy. No more than you can outgrow walking on the ground, or outgrow breathing air. To suggest such things is what sounds like a lofty perception to me. And so in retaliation of her belittling a practice, you belittle her very existence; and belittling my own practice by extension. That's a little cruel, don't you think?"
Re: [Safeholme Grounds] You Were My Brother
"You want to talk to me about cruel?" The words came out with fire, literal fire. The flames licked off Percival's lips as his elemental attunement in the Magicus surged, stoppered by a hand as soon as the Alchemist realized it.
Me. Me me me. That's what this is about isn't it?
Caoranach had gotten into his head, and it was making him furious all the more. While Ruarc was addressing the fire from the outside, he was fighting the fire on the inside as much as he could. As he dropped his fingers from his lips and he took a deep breath, but it just welled up. He didn't hate Ruarc, he hated Caoranach, but when he spoke that anger he was looking at the Druid; he was looking at him square in the eyes.
"So now you have an opinion on the matter? You want to enlighten me on the state of things?"
Me. Me me me. That's what this is about isn't it?
Caoranach had gotten into his head, and it was making him furious all the more. While Ruarc was addressing the fire from the outside, he was fighting the fire on the inside as much as he could. As he dropped his fingers from his lips and he took a deep breath, but it just welled up. He didn't hate Ruarc, he hated Caoranach, but when he spoke that anger he was looking at the Druid; he was looking at him square in the eyes.
"So now you have an opinion on the matter? You want to enlighten me on the state of things?"
Re: [Safeholme Grounds] You Were My Brother
"Of course Ah have an opinion on the matter. You're over there insulting something tha' Ah have a wee bit o' a vested interest in; iffen ya hadn't noticed," Ruarc bit back. He wasn't sure where this was coming from, but Percy was throwing punches, and it was making his blood heat up a bit. The Irishman stood his ground, and held Percy's gaze. "My opinion on the matter is that your being a prick right now. How about you pull that stick out of your ass?"
Re: [Safeholme Grounds] You Were My Brother
Percival put his hand firmly to the bridge of his nose, as if he were about to snap it off. The Welshman needed to make an exit, wordlessly, but the moment he looked up at Ruarc he saw a mage that was bigger, stronger, and more capable than himself. He felt smaller, weaker, and more troubled than he should have been by the difference.
His brow furrowed as that anger started to spill out, he looked at Caoranach's back, the fae no doubt smiling at his misfortune.
"Your grandfather was the last man to slay a dragon," said Percival, quoting a line that he and Ruarc used to share drinks to. At his limit, the Alchemist made his way past the druid, aiming to leave, "To think what he would say seeing you making your bed with one, Ruarc Flynn."
His brow furrowed as that anger started to spill out, he looked at Caoranach's back, the fae no doubt smiling at his misfortune.
"Your grandfather was the last man to slay a dragon," said Percival, quoting a line that he and Ruarc used to share drinks to. At his limit, the Alchemist made his way past the druid, aiming to leave, "To think what he would say seeing you making your bed with one, Ruarc Flynn."
Re: [Safeholme Grounds] You Were My Brother
Before Percy could make it very far, Ruarc had placed a broad hand on the shorter man's shoulder none too gently. His hand had moved before the Irishman even realized it, but with no small amount of force he turned the other to face him; he was getting in to fight mode, and his body was responding. They were now toe to toe as Ruarc set his jaw and made it clear Percy wasn't going to just walk away from this like that. "Percy. What bug crawled up your arse? Ya come here, call Carrie and by extension myself obsolete, and talk down to me when you are but a guest here. Ah reserved a spot for you here on the staff because Ah trusted you ta be fucking mature, not sound like yur back in damned grade school. Shape up, and figure out what the fuck yur problem is. Ah'm not here to play at being a councilor, but Ah'm sure as shit in the lou not gonna stand here and listen to this."
Ruarc leaned downed until they were eye to eye, and then in a slow and menacing tone, said, "Apologize."
Ruarc leaned downed until they were eye to eye, and then in a slow and menacing tone, said, "Apologize."
Re: [Safeholme Grounds] You Were My Brother
"I'd rather die."
The words came out quicker than Percival would have liked, spurred by being handled so roughly. The Alchemist nearly tumbled, his legs still not very strong despite the time home, and being quite light with a fragile frame. It didn't matter that Ruarc didn't fully understand what was going on, the man was just furious now. He felt alone, and it maddened him.
"I'd rather die outright than concede t'someone who calls me a coward for trying t'accept my death, nor will I concede t'you, you blind bastard," shouted Percival, all measure of civility lost, almost struggling to speak English at this point. He was gripping the spot over his chest tightly. "A short-sighted bag of emotions who had everything to keep him warm when it was cold at night. Someone to hold him. Someone to care fer'm. But, I'm the child for bein' upset, fer tryin' to find a way out."
The lines on his face became severe, as it all welled up to froth over. "I don't need your charity. Ya made it clear ya don't need me an' I sure as hell don' need you."
The words came out quicker than Percival would have liked, spurred by being handled so roughly. The Alchemist nearly tumbled, his legs still not very strong despite the time home, and being quite light with a fragile frame. It didn't matter that Ruarc didn't fully understand what was going on, the man was just furious now. He felt alone, and it maddened him.
"I'd rather die outright than concede t'someone who calls me a coward for trying t'accept my death, nor will I concede t'you, you blind bastard," shouted Percival, all measure of civility lost, almost struggling to speak English at this point. He was gripping the spot over his chest tightly. "A short-sighted bag of emotions who had everything to keep him warm when it was cold at night. Someone to hold him. Someone to care fer'm. But, I'm the child for bein' upset, fer tryin' to find a way out."
The lines on his face became severe, as it all welled up to froth over. "I don't need your charity. Ya made it clear ya don't need me an' I sure as hell don' need you."
Re: [Safeholme Grounds] You Were My Brother
"Y'ur mental," Ruarc retorted. "Ya talking about y'self during all that? Did ya forget about Miyuki? Ya have someone who will always be there for ya, and you ran away from it. Ah can damn well see why she'd call ya a coward. For trying to accept y'ur own death, ya got a fuckin' funny way of doing it, running away from a woman who would take on the reaper himself to help ya. We really must be brothers, because you seemed to 'ave taken more after my dad than Ah did."
The Irishman renewed his stance, squaring off with Percy and crossing his arms defiantly.
"If ya don't need us, then go ahead an run away again."
The Irishman renewed his stance, squaring off with Percy and crossing his arms defiantly.
"If ya don't need us, then go ahead an run away again."